Daniel Fuentes has worked in intensive care for three years at Mount Sinai Hospital.
The nurse says that with the lack of health workers, his work hours have been extended by up to twelve hours per shift … and he has had to attend more and more patients due to the pandemic.
Protest.
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“In intensive care, the normal thing is two patients or if the patient is very ill, one patient for each nurse … we have had the situation that sometimes we have three patients, four patients … patients who are very ill who need that care one to one and we cannot provide that service because the hospital does not give us personnel, ”Fuentes revealed.
Like Daniel, many others demonstrated in front of the hospital demanding better working conditions.
The workers allege that there are more than three hundred and fifty vacancies at this hospital but there have been no new hires.
The nurses assure that the hospital has the resources, but that they do not listen to their requests.
Wendy Velázquez cries out for help. The nurse works in the recovery room and says that she has had to work long shifts, without days off.
“The nurses are tired. We are human and we have to take care of patients and we cannot do that if we are tired, ”Wendy explained.
These demonstrations are nothing new. Other nurses have complained of understaffing.
Either for those who retired in the past year or for those who have resigned.
In a folder they collected signatures demanding these changes and that their employment contract be renewed.
According to the nurses, however, the hospital did not receive them and asked him to leave the facility.
Wendy says that if there is no change, patients will be the harmed if the coronavirus infections continue to increase.
Nurse.
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“Now the numbers are going up again and if we have another pandemic like last year, we can’t do it. We are not going to be able to do it and the patients are the ones who are going to suffer ”, added Wendy.
In a statement the hospital said: “Nurses are essential to provide the best medical care and we are confident that we will continue to attract and retain the talent we need.”
The nurses say that if the hospital does not listen to their requests, they will organize with members of the community to continue the demonstrations.
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